If you're in the UK FinTech space, you've probably been told that success with Google Ads comes down to finding the right keywords and outbidding the competition. This is a lie. Or at least, it's only about 10% of the truth. The other 90% is what causes most FinTechs to burn through their funding with nothing to show for it but a vanity dashboard of useless clicks.
The reality is, most of the work happens before you even log into your Google Ads account. It's about psychology, maths, and having an offer so compelling that it makes your ideal customer feel understood. Get that right, and the keywords and bids almost take care of themselves. Get it wrong, and you're just paying Google to advertise your own confusion. This is the playbook for getting it right.
What is your customer's actual nightmare?
Let's get one thing straight. Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is not "CFOs in mid-market UK tech companies with 250-500 employees." That's a sterile, useless demographic. It tells you nothing about their fears, their frustrations, or the problems that keep them awake at 3 AM. It leads to generic ad copy that speaks to absolutely no one.
To stop wasting money, you have to define your customer by their pain. Their specific, urgent, expensive, career-threatening nightmare. Your ICP isn't a person; it's a problem state. A mess they are desperate to get out of.
Think about it.
-> For a B2B payments platform: The nightmare isn't 'needing payment processing'. It's the Finance Director, Sarah, who just spent her weekend manually reconciling international payments because their current provider's reporting is a disaster. She's terrified that a delayed settlement will ruin a key supplier relationship, and she knows hidden FX fees are costing the company thousands every month that her CEO thinks are being managed. She feels incompetent and out of control.
-> For a B2C investment app: The nightmare isn't 'wanting to invest'. It's a 32-year-old junior doctor, Tom, who sees his friends buying houses while he's still paying off student debt. He knows he should be investing, but he's overwhelmed by jargon, terrified of the stock market, and feels like he's falling further behind every single day. His biggest fear is looking back in 20 years and realising he missed his chance to build wealth.
Once you understand the *emotion* behind the problem, your entire approach changes. Your ads stop being about your features ("We have multi-currency support!") and start being about their relief ("Finally, one-click reconciliation for all your international payments. No more lost weekends."). This is the foundation of everything. Many businesses struggle to get this right and find themselves focusing on demographics instead of the real problems their customers face. If this sounds familiar, it's worth reading up on how to target problems, not just locations, to reframe your entire strategy.
You need to find out where these people live online. Not just their job titles on LinkedIn. What niche podcasts do they listen to on their commute from Surrey into the City? What industry newsletters (like Stratechery or FinTech Brain Food) do they actually open? What software do they already pay for? This isn't just data; it's the blueprint for your targeting. Do this work first, or you have no business spending a single penny on ads.
Why is your "Request a Demo" button killing your growth?
Now we get to the most common failure point in all of B2B advertising: the offer. The "Request a Demo" button is probably the most arrogant Call to Action ever invented. It assumes your prospect, a busy, stressed-out decision maker like Sarah, has nothing better to do than book a 45-minute slot in her calendar to be sold to by a junior sales rep.
It's high-friction, low-value, and immediately signals that you're just another vendor. It puts all the work on them and offers no immediate reward. It's the digital equivalent of a cold caller asking for "just 15 minutes of your time." In the competitive London FinTech scene, that's a death sentence.
Your offer's only job is to deliver a moment of undeniable value—an "aha!" moment that makes the prospect sell themselves on your solution. You must solve a small, real problem for free to earn the right to solve the big one.
For B2B FinTech (like the one selling to Sarah):
-> A free, automated 'Hidden FX Fee Calculator'. Let her upload a recent statement, and within 60 seconds, show her exactly how much her current provider is skimming off the top. You've just given her a concrete number she can take to her CEO.
-> A 'Live Reconciliation Sandbox'. A free trial of just *one* feature of your platform, allowing her to connect one bank account and see the magic of automated reconciliation for herself.
For B2C FinTech (like the one targeting Tom):
-> A free '5-Minute Pension Health Check'. Ask a few simple questions and give him a clear, visual report showing if he's on track for retirement, without any confusing jargon.
-> A freemium plan. Let him invest his first £500 with zero fees. Let him experience how simple and empowering your app is. Once he sees his money grow, the idea of upgrading to a paid plan becomes his idea, not yours.
This approach flips the script. You're not asking for their time; you're *giving* them value. You're not generating Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) for a sales team to chase; you're creating Product Qualified Leads (PQLs) who are already convinced.
Step 1: Ad Click
Prospect sees a generic ad about "features".
Step 2: "Request a Demo"
Prospect is asked for their time and contact details.
Step 3: Sales Qualification Call
Prospect gets chased by a sales rep. High drop-off rate.
Step 4: The Demo
If they show up, they finally see the product. Often too late.
Step 1: Ad Click
Prospect sees an ad solving a specific pain point.
Step 2: Instant Value Offer
Prospect uses a free tool/calculator and gets an "aha!" moment.
Step 3: Self-Qualification
The tool proves your value. They *want* to learn more.
Step 4: Conversion
Signing up for a trial or paid plan becomes the logical next step.
Are you paying Google to find non-customers?
Here's another uncomfortable truth. When you set your Google Ads campaign objective to "Brand Awareness" or "Reach," especially on the Display or YouTube networks, you are giving the algorithm a very clear command: "Find me the largest number of people for the lowest possible price."
The algorithm, being a ruthlessly efficient machine, does exactly what you asked. It seeks out the users inside your targeting who are least likely to click, least likely to engage, and absolutely, positively least likely to ever sign up for a FinTech service. Why? Because those users are not in demand. Their attention is cheap. You are actively paying one of the world's most powerful advertising platforms to find you the worst possible audience for your product.
For a venture-backed FinTech, this is malpractice. The best form of brand awareness is a competitor's customer switching to your product and raving about it online. That only happens through conversion. Awareness is a byproduct of having a great product that solves a real problem, not a prerequisite for making a sale. From day one, every single campaign you run should be set to a conversion-based bidding strategy, optimising for sign-ups, trials, or whatever your most valuable action is. You're not in the business of getting seen; you're in the business of acquiring customers.
What should this actually cost? The maths behind UK FinTech ads
This is the question everyone asks, and the answer is always "it depends". But that's a cop-out. Based on our experience running campaigns for SaaS and software clients, we can provide some realistic ballpark figures for the UK market.
The cost hinges on two main levers: your Cost Per Click (CPC) and your Landing Page Conversion Rate (CVR). In the competitive UK FinTech space, you can expect CPCs to range from £2 to £15 for high-intent search keywords. A good landing page should convert at 5-15%, but many, many sites convert at less than 2%.
Let's do some quick maths. Your Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), or the cost to get one user to sign up, is calculated as: CPA = CPC / CVR
Scenario 1: B2C Investment App (like Tom's)
You're targeting keywords like "best stocks and shares isa uk". CPC is high, let's say £8. Your landing page is well-optimised and converts at 10%.
Your CPA = £8 / 0.10 = £80 per sign-up.
Scenario 2: B2B Payments Platform (like Sarah's)
You're targeting "international payment solutions for sme". CPC is even higher, say £12. Your offer is a free trial, and your landing page converts at a respectable 8%.
Your CPA = £12 / 0.08 = £150 per trial start.
These numbers might seem high, but they are realistic. One of our app clients achieved signups for under £2, but that was a broader consumer app with a huge addressable market. Niche, high-value FinTech is a different game entirely. The key isn't to panic about the high CPA, but to understand if it's profitable. That brings us to the single most important metric in your entire business.
To get a better feel for your own potential costs, you can use the calculator below. Adjust the sliders for what you think your CPC and Conversion Rate might be. This simple tool demonstrates how even small improvements to your landing page can have a dramatic impact on your acquisition cost.
How do you calculate the metric that actually matters: LTV?
The real question isn't "How low can my CPA go?" but "How high a CPA can I afford to acquire a truly great customer?" The answer lies in its counterpart: Lifetime Value (LTV). Knowing this number is not optional; it's the foundation of a scalable growth strategy. Without it, you're flying blind.
Let's calculate it for our B2B FinTech example. You need three numbers:
1. Average Revenue Per Account (ARPA): What do you make per customer, per month? Let's say it's £400.
2. Gross Margin %: What's your profit margin on that revenue? Let's say it's 75%.
3. Monthly Churn Rate: What percentage of customers do you lose each month? Let's say it's 3%.
Now, the calculation:
LTV = (ARPA * Gross Margin %) / Monthly Churn Rate
LTV = (£400 * 0.75) / 0.03
LTV = £300 / 0.03 = £10,000
In this example, each customer is worth £10,000 in gross margin to your business over their lifetime. Now you have the truth. A healthy SaaS business aims for a 3:1 LTV to Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) ratio. This means you can afford to spend up to £3,333 to acquire a single customer.
Suddenly, that £150 CPA to get a trial doesn't seem so expensive, does it? If your sales process converts 1 in 10 trials into a paying customer, your final CAC is £1,500. Well within your profitable range. This is the maths that unlocks aggressive, intelligent growth. It allows you to confidently outbid less sophisticated competitors who are still pinching pennies on their CPA. If you're serious about growth, understanding this is non-negotiable, and it forms the core of any solid paid acquisition playbook for founders.
To make this tangible, use the calculator below. Input your own business metrics to find your LTV and what you can afford to spend on customer acquisition. This isn't just a hypothetical exercise; this is your budget.
How should you structure campaigns for intent, not just clicks?
Once you have a powerful offer and you understand your numbers, you can finally start thinking about Google Ads itself. The structure of your account should mirror the intent of your customers.
Keyword Strategy: This is where most people start, but it should be informed by everything we've already discussed. You need to target keywords that express a specific, urgent intent, not broad informational queries.
-> High Intent (Target these heavily): "compare business bank accounts uk", "best robo advisor for beginners", "stripe alternative for saas". These people are actively looking for a solution. They are pre-qualified.
-> Mid Intent (Target with caution): "how to reduce payment processing fees", "what is an SIPP". These people are problem-aware but not necessarily solution-aware. They are best targeted with content that leads to your value offer, not a hard sell.
-> Low Intent (Avoid for direct response): "what is fintech", "stock market basics". These people are researching. Trying to sell to them is a waste of money.
Ad Copy That Resonates: Your ad copy is not the place for feature lists. It's where you reflect the customer's nightmare back at them. Use the Problem-Agitate-Solve framework.
Example for B2B Payments:
Headline 1: Tired of Hidden FX Fees?
Headline 2: See Your True Costs in 60 Secs
Description: Stop wasting weekends on manual reconciliations. Our platform automates it all. Use our free audit tool to find out how much you're overpaying right now.
Landing Pages: Your landing page must be a seamless continuation of your ad. If your ad promises a "Free FX Fee Calculator," the landing page must have that calculator front and centre. Not a generic homepage with 20 different navigation links. A dedicated landing page with a single goal will always outperform a general website homepage. It's not uncommon to see a dedicated landing page double or even triple conversion rates.
How do you navigate the compliance minefield?
Finally, we have to address the elephant in the room for any UK FinTech: compliance. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has very strict rules about financial promotions, and Google's own advertising policies for financial products are incredibly complex. This isn't a small hurdle; for many, it's a brick wall.
Getting your ads disapproved is common. Getting your account suspended is a real risk if you don't know what you're doing. You need to ensure every claim in your ad copy is substantiated on your landing page, that your risk warnings are clear and conspicuous, and that you have the correct authorisations to promote your product in the first place.
For example, you can't just say "Guaranteed returns". You can't make misleading comparisons. You need to be incredibly careful with your language. This often feels like walking a tightrope. It's a specialist skill, and trying to "wing it" is the fastest way to get banned from the platform. The challenges are significant, but not insurmountable with the right approach. If you're struggling, it is often helpful to read a detailed breakdown of how to handle FinTech ad approvals in the UK. Often, the issue is not with your product, but with how you're presenting it, which can lead to a lot of compliance confusion that needs a step-by-step fix.
What is your action plan?
This has been a lot of information, and it goes against much of the conventional wisdom about Google Ads. The key takeaway is that success is driven by strategy, not just tactics. It's about deep customer understanding and disciplined financial modeling. I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:
| Step | Actionable Recommendation | Why It Matters | Key Metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Define the Nightmare | Interview at least 10 ideal customers (and 5 who chose a competitor). Map out their exact, emotional pain points, not their demographics. | This is the foundation for all your messaging. Generic messaging gets ignored. Specific, empathetic messaging gets clicks. | Qualitative Insights |
| 2. Build a Value-First Offer | Replace "Request a Demo" with a free, valuable tool, calculator, or limited trial that solves a small piece of their problem instantly. | It builds trust, demonstrates your expertise, and pre-qualifies leads by letting them experience value before a sales call. | Lead-to-Trial Rate / Tool Usage Rate |
| 3. Calculate Your LTV | Use your ARPA, Gross Margin, and Churn Rate to calculate your Customer Lifetime Value. Use the LTV calculator in this guide. | This tells you exactly how much you can afford to spend to acquire a customer, allowing you to scale confidently and profitably. | LTV:CAC Ratio (aim for 3:1 or better) |
| 4. Structure for Intent | Build your Search campaigns around high-intent keywords that signal a user is actively looking for a solution like yours. Create dedicated landing pages for each ad group. | You focus your budget on users who are most likely to convert, maximizing your ROAS and avoiding wasted spend on informational traffic. | Landing Page Conversion Rate |
| 5. Master Compliance | Before launching, have a compliance expert review all ad copy and landing pages against FCA guidelines and Google's financial services policies. | This prevents costly ad disapprovals and account suspensions, which can halt your growth entirely. | Ad Approval Rate |
Running successful Google Ads campaigns for a FinTech company is not easy. It's a complex blend of marketing psychology, financial modeling, and regulatory navigation. The approach outlined here is demanding, but it's the only one we've seen work consistently for sustainable, profitable growth.
It requires a different mindset—one that prioritises strategy over tactics, customer value over short-term metrics, and profitability over growth at all costs. This is difficult to execute when you're also trying to build a product and run a company. If you recognise the complexity and see the potential but aren't sure how to implement this framework yourself, it might be time to consider expert help. We offer a free, no-obligation strategy session where we can review your current approach and provide actionable recommendations based on the principles in this guide. Sometimes an outside perspective is all it takes to turn a failing campaign into a growth engine.
